About Phuket

Tourist Attractions in Phuket
Phuket is called "a pearl on the Andaman Sea" for its charming tropical scenery and abundant tourism resources, and is very rich in natural resources. It is also lauded as "treasured island" and "treasure island".

Phang Nga BayPhang Nga Bay is a 400 km2 bay in the Strait of Malacca between the island of Phuket and the mainland of the Malay peninsula of southern Thailand. Since 1981, an extensive section of the bay has been protected as the Ao Phang Nga National Park.

Phang Nga is a shallow bay with 42 islands, comprising shallow marine waters and intertidal forestedwetlands, with at least 28 species of mangrove; seagrass beds and coral reefs are also present. A number of diverse cultures co-exist in local communities, which practice fishing, harvesting Nypa palm fronds for thatch, and catering to an international tourist presence drawn both by the natural beauties and by the archaeological sites, which have paintings more than a thousand years old.

The most famous of the many islands in the bay is the so-called James Bond Island, a needle formed limestone rock in the sea, which featured in the movie The Man with the Golden Gun. Nearby villages include Ao Luk.

Hat PatongHat Patong(Patong Beach) is Phuket's most developed beach and is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi)-long. It is 15 km from Phuket town. Patong is mostly made up of hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and various tourist attractions. Daytime activities are primarily centered on the beach with watersport activities. Patong is equally well known for its nightlife, centered on Soi Bangla. The northern end of Patong Bay is called Kalim and is a popular place for viewing the sunset and for surfing between April and September each year.

Big Buddha
The Big Buddha of Phuket is on the peak of a mountain near Muang Phuket, or Phuket town. The image is 45 m in height and covered in white Burmese marble.

Hat Karon
Hat Karon is the second largest of Phuket's tourist beaches, approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) from town. Large resort complexes line the road behind the shoreline, but the broad beach itself has no development. The southern point has a coral reef stretching toward Kata and Poo Island. There is also its sister beach, Karon Noi.

Two Heroines Monument
Two Heroines Monument is a monument in Amphoe Thalang, a memorial statue of the heroines Thao Thep Kasattri (Kunying Jan) and Thao Sri Sunthon (Mook), who rallied islanders in 1785 to repel Burmese invaders. As the island's governor had just died, the organization of Phuket's defense against the Burmese invasion of 1785 was conducted by his widow, Thao Thep Kasattri. With her sister's help, they assembled what forces they had, then disguised local women as male soldiers, a ruse to swell the ranks of the defenders. After a month's siege, the Burmese invaders became exhausted and withdrew. King Rama I awarded Kunying Jan with the royal title of Thao Thep Kasattri.

TransportationAirportPhuket International Airport (HKT), gateway to Phuket Island, a paradise for tourists in the southern part of Thailand. HKT is now under supervision of the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited [AOT]. Phuket Island and nearby provinces are popular resort areas and Phuket International Airport enjoys a large number of passengers from all over the world, and plays an important role in promoting travel and tourism in the southern region as well as throughout the kingdom. Today, 10 airlines are on service and more than 2,900,000 passengers, 27,000 flights and 12,000 tons of cargo are handled at the airport.

Bus
Phuket's Bus Station 2 BKS Terminal is the long-distance arrivals hub for buses to and from Bangkok and other major Thai cities and provinces. Located four kilometres to the north of Phuket's town centre and port, the complex is large and modern, linking with transportation by tuk-tuk, metered taxi, motorcycle taxi, songthaew, or local bus to the island’s beaches and resorts. There are daily scheduled buses from private and government run companies going to Phuket from Bangkok's Mo Chit and Southern terminal stations.

There is no rail line to Phuket. Trains run to nearby Surat Thani. Songthaews are a common mode of transport on Phuket. Phuket's songthaews are larger than those found in other areas of Thailand. Songthaews are the cheapest mode of transportation from town to town. They travel between the town and beaches. There are also conventional bus services and motorbike taxis. The latter are found in large numbers in the main town and at Patong Beach. Traditional tuk-tuks have been replaced by small vans, mostly red, with some being yellow or green. Car taxis are quite expensive and charge flat rates between towns.